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Beau Wann, Jr.

     Hey TJ, how you dune this fyne morn?   How are all yall dune this fyne morn?   It's still cold, brass moniker or no. Why it's coldern a witches broom handle and a well diggers molasses bucket.      Had 28 Wednesday morn, and again this morning. Lots O frost yesterday, and an even heavier frost this fyne morn.  We even had snow Tuesday morn.   Now I can spread the rye grass and the winter peas.  Already have some perenial rye coming back. Wish the peas were perenial. 

   Looks like the holiday season is upon us once again!  Dont want this to get out, but  I've been watching all the Hallmark channels Christmas fluff flicks for a month already, and in my "mancave".  How would that look in the morning headlines: "Manly Man watching Hallmark fluff flicks in his manly man cave"...so mums the woid!

    Speaking of Christmas fluffy flicks, if you see a movie called "Christmas Comes to Pemberly", watch it.  You will see ME!   Well, my doppleganger for sure.  One of my sons sent a picture of the TV screen with "ME" on it, saying "Dad, youre a star".   Maybe not a star, but at least an ol lump of coal!   Ever now and then, someone says they saw someone that looks like me, but I've never seen it, until now. Wow, that guy is sure handsome, and a great actor to boot.  Surely an "Oscar" performance, not to mention an emmy and tony, pulitzer and Nobel for sure, and dont call me shirley.

    Back in the oily 70s, when "Blazing Saddles" came out, folks said Gene Wilder looked like me, and for a long while folks called me "Waco Kid".  I didnt see it, but who am I to argue.  I sort of like the sound of "the Waco Kid". There will be an autograph signing at the Brenham Library sometime after Thanksgiving.

        Speaking of Libraries, got me a brand new Library card. Havent had one of those in quite a few moons.  They are now plastic like a credik card.  I told the librarian that issued the cards that at one time they were made of paper to which she said, "you know, I've heard about that, but just thought that was an urban legend"....She's a "young thing, and cannot leave her mother...".

     I have loved libraries since Moses came down off the mountain with the two tablets. Now that's a long time, eh what !  You can go read the newspaper and not have to buy one,  all sorts of "periodicals" one of my all time favorite woids.  Dont recollect when I foist hoid that woid, but didnt know what it meant for the longest time. "Uh yo boy, did you read any periodicals today"?   "Uh no, is it legal to read those things...?"  I was a young thing and couldnt bake a cherry pie...that's for sure.

     Speaking of baking, do any of youse youtes do any baking?   I have baked Toll House chocolate chip cookies for the last 50 years.  It's not a hard recipe, just follow the distructions on the back of the chip bag, and voila, wonderfulness in every bite.   UNTIL NOW ! ! ! ! !   I'll swanee, I dont know what the "conglomerates" have done to the ingredients, but I cannot get them to come out anywhere near as good as I use to.  I taught the grandkids how to bake CCCookies, now the students have surpassed the master!

    They use to come out tall and fluffly and soooooo good, but since we've been at the gnu house, the cookies are terrible. They  come out flat as a fritter, and hard as rocks.   The back of the package says to cook em at 375 for 11 to 15 minutes, but I dispelled the 11 to 15 minutes some 50 years ago.  8 minutes is all that is needed, or was needed, now even at 8 minutes, that's too long seems like.

    Talked to a chef, and she said that "they've" done something to the flour, whoever "they" are, so I should use cake flour.  Friends, I have used cake flour, bread flour, pizza dough flour, and everything inbetween. I've even turned down the heat to 350, let the butter melt naturally, and all to no avail.  Looks like mah cookie making days are over. Even my beloved tried to bake CCcookies. We bought all new and fresh ingredients, butter, vanilla, flour, baking soda, chips, and eggs, and her's came out the same as mine, flat as a fritter and hard as rocks.

    IT'S A CONSPIRACY, THAT'S WHAT IT IS, A COMMIE PINKO CONSPIRACY, YEAH THAT'S THE TICKET...!!!!  Anyone know what a PINKO is?   I've allus wondered, never asked cause I thought I should know, but confess, dont really know!   A red ruskie?  A chicom?   Well no matter, whatever it is, theyve messed with the chocolate chip cookie whirld that's for sure!

    On a much somber note, our little Lacy kitty passed away early tuesday moning of this week.  She went quietly, no pain, just stopped breathing.  Her little kitty face was as serene and sweet as if she was taking a nap.  Now it's the long sleep!   She has been with us for over 20 years!  Tuesday night was hard, kept looking for her to jump up on the bed and snuggle in the crook of my left arm and go to sleep like she use to. First night in 20 plus years she wasnt there. 

    Sure gonna miss her, as I miss all my "fury little children".  Come next spring, Easter morning to be exact, we will release her ashes on the hill like we've done for all our other little friends!   Truth be known, I invest so much emotion and compassion in our critters, more so than in humans.  After having my heart ripped out and stomped flat so many times, as humans are want to do to one and other, I gues I transfered my most loving feelings to the very ones that love you unconditionally,  kats and dogs.  

    Lacy was so beautiful, white with an orange cap, and orange angel wings, and a plume tail that would put to shame any such plume on a "musketeers" hat.  Her eyes looked like she was wearing mascara...such a beauty, only God could make.....

 That's her, that's my sweetheart holding down the instructions of a tinker toy set...see the wings!   gottem for sure now...till we meet again.....

Pat Brantley (Ross)

Beau I am so sorry you lost Lady Lucy.  We do so get attached to these animals who love us unconditionally.  Our new rescue is named Lucy.  She is 7 so we are her retirement staff.  She is such a sweet Great Pyrenees.  I took her to the groomer last week just before this cold spell.  The woman just about shaved her.  We were amazed when we picked her up.  I have never seen this done.  Ron went through my side of the closet looking for a jacket he could modify for her to keep her warm.  He cut up one of my sweater jackets.  She looks ridiculous in a purple jacket.  She doesn’t like it.  Dogs aren’t supposed to wear clothes.  It will take a year for her hair to grow out.

About the toll house cookies - I only use Pillsbury flour.  I use about 1/4 extra flour.  I also use more chips.  My cookies aren’t flat.  I have two grandkids who don’t eat pecans and two who like them.  I make each kind.  Try that.  Cake flour is a finer flour.  I use that for banana bread because it is also sweet.

Beau Wann, Jr.

     Thanks Pat, will try pilsbury flour. Always had good luck with gold medal all purporse flour, maybe pilsbury will woik more better.   Cant imagine why a groomer would shave a GP ? ? ?  My sister had one of those beautiful critters, aptly named "BEAR". He was almost the size of a polar bear, weighed 200 pounds, and they say he wasnt fat, just a big baby.  They had to put locks on the pantry and cabinet doors and the fridge because he would open them up and help himself to whatever he wanted to eat.

     My sis is a gourmet cook and catered events and affairs. Once Bear opened the fridge and ate a 14 pound standing rib roast, a pound of bacon and pound of butter and anything else he deemed edible. All items he sampled, or swallowed,  happened to be slated for an event.  He did take out all the fruit and veggies and gently lay them on the floor of the kitchen. There were canine teeth marks in them, but otherwise ok.  When my sister and BinL came home, Bear was laying in the foyer moaing and groaning.  Vet told them to give him some pepto B, fixed him right up.  He once ate through a wall because he couldnt open the door to the room he wanted to get to.  They are a determined lot !

     Our beloved Cooper was part yellow lab and part GP, and proportioned just right, cause he had the demeanor of a GP, laid back and "Elvis is in the building" personality... Good luck with Lucy, love the name!  One of our grandaughters is named Lucy.  

    Surprisingly enough, GPs make great apartment dogs because they dont do much running around, just like to perch and survey their kingdom/queendom.  Great Pyrenees, the clydesdale of the canine whirld.  

Teddie Jordan

Cephus, to me the actor that reminds me most of you was Cookie on the old, 77 Sunset Strip TV show. The one that parked the cars and was always combing his hair, like someone we remember from our Waltrip days..

Scotty Croom

went to dentist this pm to repair cracked tooth...i related  problems at spring fling...caused sinus/allergy infection...they just filled cracks w/organic super glue...had extra pain shot to ease drilling pain...now i have to go to dentist in pensacola in dec. to get crown...some more gold in my smile...will get moved from katy to hedwick village to mobile to daphne between nov. 27th and dec. 19th...let some else move,load and unload us...have to get settled in for santa to find us dec. 25th...the journey is almost over...

Pat Brantley (Ross)

Teddie is right about you resembling Cookie aka Ed Byrnes, beau.  Forgot to tell you if you enjoyed Midsomer Murders you will love George Gently.  We check out pbs dvds from the library.  We have now moved on to Foyle’s War.  Hated for Gently to end for us.  I think pillsbury flour has added baking powder in it.  Happy turkey day to everyone.  I am blessed to have you guys as friends.

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Please keep our classmate, Butch Ginder, and his wife, Lynn, in your prayers during this difficult time.  Lynn has been in a facility for months & months with lots of health problems including losing her foot to diabetes over a year ago.  Butch has brought Lynn home under hospice care & needs all your love & support. God Bless.

Beau Wann, Jr.

    ED KOOKY Burns youse say?   I was thinking I was much prettier, along the lines of say, Jack Elam, Arthur Hunnicut, Slim Pickens, Walter Brenan, just to mention a few of my all time favorite character actors.  Most times, they either equaled the stars they were supporting, or surpassed them.

    Yes,  prayers for Butch and Lynn.  Scotty, you may be removed from Texas, but not our hearts.  Isnt that a great gift!    To be able to have friends like all youse youtes,  to love folks that are not physically in our lives, but always in our hearts!     Scotty, I know y ou aand Sharon will be enjoying that warm gulf breeze.  Thanks so much for being at the Fall Fling.  Also I have it on good authority that Santa has your new address.

      OH, I almost forgot folks, I promised to reveal the identity of the person or persons making a large donation for the fall fling...drum roll please...BBBBBRRRRRUUUUUPPPPBUPBUP...Scotty and Sharon Croom. Not surprising is it!    It was almost half of the cost, and youse youtes that dropped donations in the pickle jar, made up for much of the rest.  Thanks to all youse youtes, the party was a success, me thinks.  If any of youse  are feeling a little thirsty whilst traveling your appointed rounds, stop by and have a cold beah, we have 7 cases left. Enough to last ME a lifetime and then some.

     Pat, we love midsomer, Foyles War, Downtown Abbey, Rumpole of the Bailey, Grantchester, Dr Blake Mysteries, Miss Fishers Murder Mysteries, Death in Paradise, Endeavor, I'm sure there are more, but cant thaink of them.  We have Foyles war series DVD and Downtown Abbey and Rumpole, but cant watch any of them because for some reason I cant get the CC (closed captioning) to work, even though it says it has CC. Diane can watch them, but not I!   Without CC they all sound like they are speaking in tongues, or Vulcan, anything but what my brain can comprehend.  Who'd a thunk that some 65 years after we got our first TV, I'd be reading it more than watching it. 

    Did I mention that Diane and I got LIBRARY CARDS at the Brenham Library?    Yup, we surely did, and dont call me shirley.  The cards are now plastic, like credit cards.  Oh, you get two, one large one to clog up your wallet, and one small one to clog up your key ring.  My Wallet is almost ready to explode, and my key ring cant have another widget hangink on it, but it yam what it yam.

      I told the library lady (very young girl), that the library cards we had as youngsters, were paper, to which she replied, "you know, I heard that rumor before, but thought that it must just be one of those unfounded urban legends".     One of the youngsters I've come across over the years saw my veteran patch on my cycle vest, and asked about it. I told them I was in the civil war to which they replied that they had heard something about it, but didnt know when or where it was...." pull them dang ear plugs out of your ears, and go to the library child, go to the library and look it up"....

     The Brenham Library, is brand new. They tore the other one down, even though it looked perfectly grand to me.   The old one was damaged in the flood we had here, 20 + inches of rain in  20 seconds.  Took em about tw2 years to rebuild.  Then took us about 2 more years to visit it after saying for two years, "we ought to go to the new library dontcha think".  Well, no since in rushing head long and willy nilly  into things, eh what!

        The new library has a geneology room where you can look up and research your ancestors for free. Also has meeting rooms and study rooms etc. Plus it has lots of DVDs, didnt know they had such things there. I just love libraries.  they also have copy machines, costs a dime or  quarter me thinks, plus they have a gadget that you tune your smartaleck p hone tto and it will print any pictures you want from it, for a price though.  I tried to print out a picture of Cooper and Lacy,  and couldnt make it woik, but that's just me being a idjit i suspect.

    Got about 2 inches of rain yesterday and today. It is 42 and misty drizzly yuky. Saturday last, I managed to spread out 100 pounds of rye seed  inside the fence around the house.  Sure ought to take root now and green up by next week, if it hasnt all washed away.  It took me a length of time to spread it out by walking behind one of those wheeled spreaders. Only walked three miles. I would have sworn it was moren that, but guess the pedometer on my P hone doesnt lie.

    Looking into a spreader attachement to hook up to the tractor PTO. I think the hopper holds about a hundred pounds at a time. Sure be easier than doing it by hand eh what !  I've put out rye seed every year here, especially down by the creek.  The feed store people must have mixed in some perenial seed with my order, because it's already growing down at the creek and I havent put any there this year.  Feed store lady said , "you got lucky".  Dang sure did didnt I !   They were out of the Austrian winter peas, gonna check this week to see if it's in.  Makes a great erosion fighter plus the little dewey eyed deah love it, but it is an annual so you have to reseed every year.

    Ok, all rain barrels are refilled, and it took less than a quarter of an inch to do it, .18 to be exact.  Amazing how mush water rolls off a metal roof .   Of course when it freezes again, we have to drain em again, then let the rain refill em, then drain em, at least till sprang, then we're home free.  Man is it soggy and mushy. Ysterday coming back from the market, had to use my 4 wheel drive to get up the hill. That's a first. Well, why have 4WD and not  be able to use it, I allus say.

    time to deplane boss...been boring youse long enough.  Keep the sun anywhere you can find it and the son in your heart and ride boldly ride...
Your frien and resident windbag....Cephus Kooky Magillicutty esq

Beau Wann, Jr.

     Hey Pat, what was "Gently" you mentioned?   You'll love Foyles War.  The girl that is the driver for Foyle, is Honeysuckle Weeks.  I say girl, because we saw her in a midsomer and she was about 15.  Anyway, loved her character. She, as well as a lot of the british actors are recycled as different characters in lots of the british shows.  Honesuckle was in a Murder in Paradise, as well as the actor that played DS Jones in Midsomer.  I take a liking to the person that plays a character, and then they replace him or her. But then I generally like the replacement as well.

     At first I didnt like that they replaced Tom Barnaby with his cousin John Barnaby in Midsomer, but then got to like him and his dog Sikes,  and really like the character that played his wife. Didnt like Toms wifes character Joyce. The writers didnt give her much personality, or she chose to play it like that, or was told to so she wouldnt overshadow her screen husbands character.  Well, what cha gonna do?

    Oh, yeah, there is a Weeks person woman in the new Magnum PI that is almost a twin of Honeysuckle Weeks...coinkidink?  I dont think so. Gotta be a daughter or sister because they are too close in looks and manerisms etc.  I dont watch Magnum, but my beloved pointed her out to me when she watched the show.

    Reading a new, new to me series, about a librarian named Charles with a library cat Named Deisel that solves mysteries.  The cat's name derives from the fact that when he purrs, sounds like a diesel motor.  We've had a couple of cats like that.  Seems sometimes you could hear them purring all over the house.  Love a cats purr.  Suppose to be calming to a cat and humans alike.  I've tried purring, but dont get much out of it cept from the little woman, "what are you doing? are you making that noise? stop it please, youre scaring the dogs!"  or woids to that defect.

    I have tried howling like a wolf. Learned that trick from a friend way back in the 70's.  He said it was suppose to have a calming affect, or relieve stress.  We use to sit in his 240Z on Gessner in traffic, and just howl and howl, to relieve the stress of traffic. Dont recollect if it really worked or not, but we sure got a lot of incredulous stares. 

       In the year 1992, the last year Diane and I took a vacation together, we drove to Fairfax Virginia and DC to visit the smithsonian, again, and to visit my sister and her hubby.  They took us to "Wolftrap" a music venue on the side of a hill, kind of like Miller Outdoor Theater in Houston.  Anyway we were sitting on blankets waiting on the show to start, Peter Paul and Mary, so to relieve stress of waiting, I started to howl, softly at first, then built it up to a next person over howl.

    Someone asked me what I was doing, and I was glad to explain it to them. I continued my howl, and then the people next to me started howling, and then it spread like a wildfire. Wasnt long before half the audience was howling.   Well, it was "Wolftrap" so there you go!   Finally the show started, and PPand M came out and howled.  Nah, just funnin ya, but they had to be wondering what the howling was about wouldnt you think!!

   Howling, just another of my contributions to humanity along with the backwards ball cap. Yup, that was me that started that, I regret to say.  In the 70's and 80's I played city league softball, and was generally the catcher because of my rag arm and not being able to do the 40 in 1 second, or faster.  So as catcher and long time fan of Yogi Berra, I turned my cap around backwards like all good catchers did. Wasnt long, that's just the way I left it, catching or not. Then that trend started it's downward spiral.  So there you go, trendsetter me! ! !

     Hmmm, if I think of any more trends that I'm responsible for, I'll be glad to inform youse.

Beau Wann, Jr.

     Would you just look at the time !  Been up since 2:56 this AM.  Been trying to avoid the blue light.  Guess what disturbed me was Little Miss trying to get further under my arm and blanket...well, surprise surprise, we had fallen asleep in the old rocking chair.  I decided it was time to get up although Little Miss had other ideas as she clamped her front paws around my arm.  "Let go dear,  I've got to get up" I said as I pried her loose, which only served for her to burrow further down in the chair under the blanket. 

     I quickly sprung my taut steel coil spring of a body out of the chair before she changed her mind and came after me.  Steel coil spring of a body?  Of course, maybe just a little bent broken and rusty, but steel coil none the less.   I crept down the long hall, it's so long, I sometimes use it as a makeshift bowling alley throwing my dirty clothes at the basket strategically placed at the other end!  Anyway, I was crepting down the hall when a cold nose woke the back of my knee up, not to mention scaring the beejeebers out of me.   "HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU NOT TO DO THAT YOU MANGY CUR",  or woids to that affect. 

     Looks like Dixie Belle couldnt sleep eyether, or maybe I woke her up tripping over her toys as I stealthly crept down the hall/bowling alley.  Ok, can we just get to the kitchen without waking the entire county up?   "Dang" says I as I stubbed my "this little piggy got none" toe on yet another Dixie Belle toy.  "you know dog, there are dogs in China that dont have this many toys to play with, some prolly haint even got none, and that's where all the toys come from now a days, along with everyghing else that says "made in america" assembled in mexico and shipped to china to be shipped back here"... whew that was a long sentence with no breath! ! !

     Ok, where's that coffee pot....zip, whiz, pour water, measure coffee very carefully, trying to avoid spilling it all over the counter..."I SAID NOT SPILLING THE COFFEE GROUNDS ALL OVER THE COUNTER, AND FLOOR" I might add.  Ok, now I've got to turn on a light...oh the humanity!   Finally got er all cleaned up and coffee perked and my first sip taken...hmmmmmm good coffee! ! !

    Got another nose in the right knee this time causing me to spill more PERKED coffee this time..."dog dog dog dog dog"...Guess who wants out now that I'm up, yup Dixie Belle Lee. I knowed it the moment I got the first cold wet knose on my use to be warm Knee.  "Ok, lets go out" says I, like there was another option.  After opening the door and stepping out onto the porch, I was struck by the fact that it was COLD !!!!!!!!!  "YOW" says I as I jumped back inside and closed the door, which produced a less than adoring look from you know who.

    I look at the CHIMACS (chappell hill intergalactic meteorological and cornpone society) temperature gauge, "it's 39 degrees out there"  I exclaimed to no one in particular.  Ok, got to get on some decent clothes. My insulated undies, two pair of socks,  flannel lined jeans, t-shirt, sweat shirt, flannel shirt, my "bout du nords", (boot of the north from LL bean). Now comes my scarf, then my heavy jacket, a pair of gloves and the crowning glory, my "navy watch cap, 100% wool navy watch cap".  Have to put a doorag on first because that wool will itch the fool out of your head!   Hmmm I can hardly move!  Well, one good thing, if I fall down, I wont get hurt because of all the layers of clothes I have on, and perhaps, just perhaps, I'll bounce right back up!

    Ok, now I'm ready to step out onto the frozen tundra, and lo and behold, look who's ready to come back in! ! ! !   "No Ma'am" says I, " I've gone to this much trouble, so you're staying out here with me" which produced a "no I'm not" look from her royal highness.  "oh yes you are" says I much more sternly than before.   So out I step looking like Shackleford at the south pole. " Well, it is a nice crisp morning" I exclaim, again to no one in particular, as I take another sip of hot Joe.  Dont know who invented coffee, but I love em!

     Wow, sure is quiet at 3 in the morning in the countryside of Washington county. Rooster on Chads ridge seems unusually quiet, at least for him. That bad boy crows all day long, I guess making sure there are no late sleepers lollin about.  Amazing, dont even hear the trucks out on the 4 lane.  More coffee please!  What a calm serene lovely setting, ahhhhh, as I take another slug of coffee. Now, this was worth getting up this early for!

    "BARK BARK BARK" repeated a hundered more times, I hear, shaking me out of my reverie.  "What tha, will you shut the hell up, you're gonna wake everything and everyone up"  I says aggitatedly.  Oh yeah, too late for take backs.  Now I hear a few coyotes barking to the west of us, oh, now to the north, yes and now the east.  Thank you very much dog, you've awakened every coyote and dog up in the county.  Wait for it, wait for it, yes thank you, now Roger Rooster is crowing his fool head off. Oh now lets get the cows all mooing, yeah, that's the ticket.   What a symphony we has begun ! ! !  And me shushing, trying to quiet down the cacauphony of noise.

    "WHAT ARE YOU DOING", I hear behind me as the door opened and closed.  "WHY HAVE YOU STIRRED UP THE WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK", my beloved says to me accusingly!   "Me"?  "Moi"?  "It wasnt me, it was YOUR dingbat dog...!  "Oh dont blame it on Dixie Belle, and why is she out in this cold, she's shivering, you should be ashamed of yourself with your animal cruelty, the nerve of some people, then blame it on poor little Dixie Belle..."   she trails off as she and DB head for warmer clime.  I swear I could see a pink tongue sticking out as Dixie Belle turned her head to look back at me as she went inside.

   I dont get  any respect ! ! !   You and I Rodney, you and I!  Time to head back inside!  Now I have to reverse the dressing process, called "undressing".  Here's how to lose 20 pounds instantly, take off your winter clothes.  I'll bet Shackleford didnt have these much clothes on.  (is it Shackelford, or Shackleford?)  oh bother!  Ok, now I'm down 20 pounds and having filled my mug with more coffee, I settle omfortably on the couch, and that lasts all of 5 seconds. 

    Able to leap tall couches in a single bound, descend on an unsupecting lap, comes "wonder dog". Yeah, you just wonder what the hell she's gonna do next to aggravate me.  Dang near spilled my coffe, but with my superior Barnum and Baily juggling skill, I manage to not spill a drop.  Hmmm, guess this is where I'm gonna be for a while, cause Dixie Belle the wonder dog is now half in my lap, upside down looking cuter that ever. Oughta be a law ! ! ! !

    I finally get out from under "marmaduke", take another sip O Joe, and yuk, it's cold! ! !  Oh the humanity!
So now I've got a fresh cup O Joe, and sitting in front of the computer relaying all of my morning shenanigans to youse youtes, which I just know are very appreciative.  So, let that be a lesson learned, "TRY TO SLEEP IN"...  

Johnny Sheffield

I would like to take this time to wish a happy 

Thanksgiving to all my waltrip class and there 

Families. May God’s blessings be with each and everyone 

Of you. 

Johnny

Bill Traill

Just like Johnny, I want to wish everyone of our Family a great Thanksgiving !!

Teddie Jordan

And the same to you and your family Bill and Johnny. And to all of our blessed and special class. We were all so fortunate  to have grown up in the perfect place and time, with special people as our teachers, preachers, neighbors, friends, families, and role models!

Bennie Schielack

What Johnny said . . . . . and my you be blessed with many smiles in your future . . . . . 

Beau Wann, Jr.

     Good Monday Morning myne fyne Waltripynes ! ! !  Yes, a very merry and happy holidays to all youse youtes from high up in the hills of Chappell Hill.  Thank you again for making the Fall Fling a success!  Now if youse will just drop in to collect your refund of a  6 pack O Bud Light, or a nice Autumnal Mead...."OFF WITH THEIR HEADS" ! ! !    Autumnal Mead indeed ! ! !  

     Talk about wathcihink (typo) ones sugar intake, Mead is made from fermented honey and water and other spices of ones choice. I believe I have some mead in the form of fermented honey sitting on the lazy suzane on our table.  Well, it's more like hard rock candy. Oh I know, you can put it in a pan of hot water, and it will melt and be pourable honey again, but only for a short while. Once that stuff sets up, if you're going to salvage it at all, you need to make a cake or cookies with it, otherwise it's just gonna get hard again, and we wouldnt want that now would we.

     The official CHIMACS (Chappell Hill Intergalactical meteorologic and cornpone society) temperature reading was 41, and still is, with a brisk noth wind at 12 mph.  Humadidity bout 72 percent give or take a hoochie koochie. Feels like 35!   Well if it feels like 35, then it is 35. So, if youse has to go outside, then dress like it's 35, nuff said!

       Good ol Sol has finally awakened and is now peeping over Chads ridge, and about time too!  Been waiting on that lazy bones all night.  I mean, I'm up, why cant everything else be up?   Been up since about 2:29, but then me and Little Miss fell asleep about 8, so 6 hours isnt a bad night for me with the usual wake up every 2 hours.  I might have slept longer cept Little Miss was cooing in my ear.  I crept out from under her 6 pounds, trying not to disturb her, but that didnt work.  She jumped up and zipped down the hall to her room sitting at attention waiting for breakfast.  Ok, breakfast it is!

    Did I mention that we here at CHIMACS have put up our Christmas tree and lights?  Well, we have, and all before Thanksgiving too!   Methinks I started too early this year, cause I'm already bruned out on Hallmark Christmas movies and Christmas music.  We've even put Christmas balls on the trees outside.  We have so many decorations, each year they multiply and we wind up not using all of them. That's a good thing methinks!

    HOW BOUT THEM AGGIES?????   WOW AND DOUBLE WOW!  Almost more points were scored in the 7 overtimes than in regulation time.  That game is THE game of all time of any game.  There were over a hundred thousand at the game, probably double the population of College Station!   Dont much care for sports anymore, but that game would have been worth going to and staying up for.  Glad to see the Ags triumph for a change.

    My brother in law graduated from A&M around 1960ish. He was in the Corp of Cadets looking smart with the "aggie boots" .  He went on to get his Doctorate from UT in computer science in 64  methinks.  He was only one of one hundred people in the whirld that had a PHD in compter science at the time, so he entered in on the ground floor. Not much he doesnt know about computers.  He went on to the Air Force and taught at the Air Force Academy back when I  left for Boot Camp.  He retired a Colonel methinks after 20 years. Good man he!

    I went through Colorado Springs just out of boot camp, methinks, and it was so cold there I froze plumb solid.  Visited the Academy and the beautiful church there with the huge pipe organ, it was magnificent!  they took me to a little restaurant in the mountains on a winding mountain road called...something, swiss alpine eating place, I dont remember just what the name was, and I reckon the food was good, but once again it was a zillion below zero, so for all I know if I spilled any food on my pea jacket, it's probably still there, fermenting, in our Lane cedar chest....longing to get out....

    Speaking of Pea Jackets, when we were issued our clothing in boot camp, my pea jacket was huge and just swallowed me up.  I thought, "yup, uncle sugar has gotten it wrong again".  I remember wearing it on midwatch at some undisclosed location guarding some undisclosed objects.  As warm as the coat was, I still froze and was shaking to pieces.  We had a guard shack with a heater, but if you went in, it was lights out.  There was no way you could stay awake in that little shack, so knowink the penalty for falling asleep on guard duty was the firing squad, one didnt venture into that "sugar shack".

    Now my venerable "pea jacket" resides at the bottom of our Lane cedar chest.  I tried  it on some 20 or so years ago, and could only get one arm in a sleeve.  The coat is a 38, and now I'm a 48, go figure.  I was hoping Diane could and would want to wear it, but it is rather heavy.  Maybe one of the grandkids would want to wear it!   Well, not Taylor, he's over 6 ft and wears tall mens clothes.  Maybe one of the grandaughters....hmmm, maybe not.  So I guess it will continue to lie in slumber another year or so. Well it is safe and dry and warm, and isnt that a good thing!

    You say, " why dont you donate it to charity"?  Well, I would, but my PJ is special to me.  I've donated dozens of coats and jackets and warm shirts over the years to the Salvation Army and Star of Hope Mission there in Houston.  I must say, they were very very appreciative.  I had an M65 "mans field jacket" the proverbial  OD green "nam jacket" . 

      Mine was issued in 1965, the very year they came out, hence the M65. that particular jacket survived a dozen moves, and somehow always was around.  It was broken in proper and started getting that faded and comfortable look.   I took it to work and left it in my truck, locked of course, and it was promptly stolen, sometime around 99 methinks. 

      I wish they had stolen the truck and left the jacket!  I guess someone needed it more than I did. It did have U.S. Navy and my name on it.  I've been hoping this last 20 years, that whoever stole it, didnt try to rob a store whilst wearing it.  I can just see the "breaking news" and a photo or video of the person wearing my jacket with my name showing for all to see.

   Of course it was a costly break in, cost 500 dollars to get the door repaired where they poked a hole in just above the door handle.  Seems it was a seasoned thief that took the jacket.  They knew just how to break into a vehicle.   Hell, if they'd a asked, I'd a bought them a nice jacket, hell, two jackets.   My beloved has since replaced that jacket with a newer model with cold weather liner, complete with US Navy and Wann over the pockets.  It's an authentic M65 Jacket, just new.  Dont know where or how she managed to find one, but thankful for the effort and result.  You can find anything on the internet nowdays ah reckon.

    Ok, time to deplane. got to go unlock the gate and get all the vehickles moved and take the pups and our recycle to the recycle place in Brenham.  Yall keep warm and if you need a beah, come on up. No autumnal mead though.  Keep the sun at your six and the son in your heart and ride boldly ride...

Your frien and  resident mead man,  Cephus Anhauser T Chocolat esq...

Bennie Schielack

Beau, your "pea jacket" story brings back memories . . . . . In 66, I went to downtown H-town for a induction physical.  The last "check" was a blood pressure check.  The Dr. gave me the test, then asked "What are you trying to do?"  Well, I had to pass the physical to quailfy for a slot in the AF Reserves, and I said so.  Turns out my BP was really low.  Found out later that there was a banana trick some were using . . . . . eat lots of bananas and BP would be abnormally low . . . . . Dr. said "You qualify" and I was a happy camper.  Got home and received my draft notice.  This was really cutting it close.  The next month (January 15, 1967), I was on a bus headed to San Antonio while the very first "Super Bowl" was being played.  

After boot camp, we bussed to Shepard AFB in Witchita Falls.  Arrived and as I stepped off the bus, there was a dude standing beside the bus (it was about 34 degrees out) wearing a "tee shirt", "gym shorts" and "shower shoes".  I was totally wrapped in my pea coat and freezing .  Asked why he was not dressed appropriately and he said "I'm from Alaska and this is a warm front to me" . . . . . 

Lost my pea coat, along with all my other uniforms and most all of my other properties some years later.  Thought I'd never forget the date but I have to look it up now.  It was June 15, 1976.  The day was infamous for three reasons, two of which were personal for me, only.  First of all, it was my birthday.  Second, it was the day my divorce was finalized.  Third, it was the only day in recorded history that a baseball game scheduled for the domed stadium was "rained" out . . . . . Ended up with over three feed of water in the house and you can guess what was left of my property.  Second time in my life I had to start from scratch . . . . .  

My SO and I visited the AF Academy last November, and the chapel is still there, and it is magnificant.  The small chapels underneat were a big surprise for us. 

Sorry your jacket was stolen. My mildewed along with so many other things and became unusable.  Like you, I wish I still had one. 

Last night, I ordered a "bomber jacket" from an add on Facebook.  Supposed to be a close replica of the ones issued to pilots in the big war.  Had one my great aunt gave me back in about 54.  It had belonged to her husband, a pilot who ended up dying right at the end of the Berlin Airlift.  Don't know if he was flying in or out, but a crash took his life.  Just for nastalgia, I decided to make the purchase. 

The weather here in Wharton was beautiful today.  My golf cart thermometer registered a high of 71 and a low of 67.  Dry air allows the ball to travel further.  Our little senior scramble group had 11 birdies today.  Some days, life is good . . . . .  

Beau Wann, Jr.

     Hey Bennie, great rememberances.  Lot's O thinks I thought I'd remember, I've long forgotton.  Well, if I cant remember them, then how do I know I've forgotten them. Good point mon ami !   I had a "flight Jacket" or bomber jacket, when I flew in the Patrol Squadron .  At 15, 20 thousand feet, they are not all that warm, even with an orange flight suit with a zillion zipper pockets.  The candy and peanuts I had stuffed in all those zipper pockets tended to keep me warm.

      Had to t urn it back in at the end of my hitch in the squadron.  Wish I'd a "lost" it!  But then if you "lost" your flight jacket, it cost you 44 dollars, and heck, I think I only made 90 dollars a month back then, and didnt quite qualifly for "flight skins" flight pay, as I didnt have enough hours a month.  Back then flight pay was 55 dollars a month, combat pay was that also!  Dont remember how many hours you had to have to qualify for "flight skins".

        I use to fill my flight suit pockets so full of candy bars and peanuts and other "good for you snacks", I looked like the Pillsbury Dough Boy, or Michelin Tire dude.,   Funny looking?  Well yeah, but NEVER went hungry.  It was my job, being a "boot" or rookie, to go to the chow hall and pick up box lunches for the crew. Normally we'd have a 7 man crew, including pilot and co-pilot.  I learned quickly to inflate the number of crew so there would be extra snacks for hungry guys.

     I generally got two per person, but had to lie like a rug.  One time I tried for 20 meals, thinking I could stash some in my locker for later hungry spells.  The cook came out and looked at me and said, "what the hell are you flying out in this time, a B-52?   Well, being as how we had no B=52s in the squadron, just P2s P5s and an occasional P3, he knew.  Got 15 anyway.  Because I took care of which ever crew I was flying with, I was promoted to "procurer 1st class", an honor indeed.   The one item included in the box lunches that almost never got eaten, was an apple. Plus they'd put in a coke can, warm coke.  And even though it was zero up at 15 thousand feet, the coke never did get cold enough for me.

     I can still hear the pilots voice over the com, "hey wann, you got any candy bars with you" and you could hear in the background the voice of the co=pilot say "now that's a dumb question, of course he does", or woids to that effect.  Well, of course I did, so I'd waddle up to the cockpit and whip out just about every candy bar ever made.  One of the more popular ones was of course Payday.  Snickers and 3 musketeers was in the hunt for poplular.  

     Sometimes before a flight when we're doing a pre-flight, the pilot would ask,   "Hey Wann, how much do you weigh? Without the flight suit !  "   "oh bout 140 pounds" I'd reply.  "and with the flight suit? "   Oh, bout 150" so say I.  "Ok, just have to adjust the weight to fuel ration"....those were the days of a carefree 10 foot tall and bullet proof lad.

     I wish I'd kept my flight suit, although it changed to different ones every flight due to being laundered. It had to be laundered special because of the fire retardant used in the manufacture of it.  My flight jacket, oh man, wish I'd kept it for sure, it fit like a glove, but it was probably a 36, and now of course i'm a 48 so it would just be at the bottom of our fancy foot locker known as "Lane".   The jacket was made of goat skin and donno what the fur collar was made from, possibly rabbit or some synthetic stuff, although faux stuff was not as widely used back then as it is now.  Reasonable folks didnt take any crap off the peta folks back in the day.

    Over the last 40 years or so, have purchased "flight/bomber" jackets from this company and that company, but none were like the official issue.  It seemed to  be light yet heavy, and fit just right.  I bought a heavy bomber jacket from Oshmans back in 75.  It was all leather outside, shearling inside, and big fur collar. Paid 75 dollars for it then, now it's a 500 dollar jacket. It was a "Cooper" brand, and was told that was the best of the best back then, although I'd never heard of it before.

      I have about half dozen "flight/bomber" jackets I've purchased in the last 40 years.  The best one my wife ordered from Speigel Catalog, remember them? The jacket was 99 dollars plus shipping and handling I think, and it turned out to be the best of the lot. All real leather etc, no fur collar though, like I said, best of the lot. I still wear it when it's down in the 30s.  Also have the "silk" looking black flight jacket with lots of zipper pockets, and it's twin in OD Green. both very warm.

    OD green! ! !  Olive drab green!   I love olives, and to me they are not drab atall!   Musta been named by a fellow that doesnt like olives.  Now who doesnt like olives?   I love the green spanish queen olives.  Dont like the greek olives, they do something different to them and makes them unplatable to me.

    Wonder what happened to Speigel?  And how about Lillian Vernon?  Those were the first  catalog companies now called "on line" stores.  Surprisingly enough, both companies carried some good quality items.  First thing I recollect the postman brought to the house, in a brown paper package tied up with string, was back in 48 or 49.  One of the popular new cereals back in the day was RICE KRISPIES! 

       Well, the spokes puppets were of course, SNAP CRACKLE AND POP. Mom spent a quarter, methinks, and ordered the hand puppets of Rice Krispie fame.  It was like Christmas when the package arrived.  My sisters were "snap and crackle" and of course I was "Pop".  Such small wonderful items we cherished back then.  The 3 generations after ours, have no clue what joy we experienced.  Didnt have a lot, but didnt know we didnt have a lot.  To us, everything we had, was enough!

    Time to deplane, going christmas shopping, oh joy!   Trying to get folks to scale down Christmas gifts this year.  I need nothing, dont want anything, have all I need, unless it is a hand made crafty item. Will be going to "Black Horse" (cypress) this morning, then over by the "outlet mall", maybe I'll see youse there.

Keep the sun at your six, and the son in your heart, and ride boldly ride...
your frien and resident bomber jacket nut,  Cephus Memphis Belle Magillicutty esq.  

Scotty Croom

had great visit tonight at orleans,.katy w/sandy s. stark...she came in eat as we were watching saints game...our grandsons  went to high school together and were friends...wonderful to chat about past times...going thru last move stages...

Lloyd Pond

Hello everyone.... Another year gone by and I think it was only about half as long as last year! Takes a long time to blow out the candles. Family came over for breakfast , I made bacon pancakes, bacon, eggs and oh yeah, bacon. Went to church afterwards and put in my birthday Offering, bet I boosted the net income for the week! In the afternoon, our mandolin orchestra played at a large Asian market called H Mart. There was a large crowd of folks watching many musical performances before us, but when we took the stage everyone left. Just as well, I started off on the wrong page and was fumbling along wondering why my part did not sound right. About half way through, I realized my error and flipped the page .  Not sure I did much better, but a least I finished when every one else did. I looked up to the mostly empty room and saw a young boy sitting there laughing and giving me a thumbs down signal. Oh well, you never know what will happen in a live performance. Hope everyone will have a Merry Christmas!

Lloyd

Teddie Jordan

Lloyd, Good to hear from you old friend. Fran hit the same number today and I’m not far behind you. 

Life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer we get to the end, the faster it spins!

Your description of your gig yesterday made me laugh out loud and snort coffee out my nose. Come see us some time and take care.

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

We're all sad to hear that Butch Ginder's wife, Linny (Lynn) passed away this morning.  Please keep Butch and his family in your prayers and send him love and support.  God Bless

. 

Beau Wann, Jr.

Condolences and prayers for the Ginder family....

Bill Traill

Our sincerest condolences to Butch. May Lynn rest in peace.

Scotty Croom

sharon and i spent pm in georgetown to celebrate mom's 95th birthday btoday....

Teddie Jordan

Scotty Good for your mom. It seems like yesterday we celebrated her 90th. Please give her my love and my best wishes the next time you talk to her.